dis-n-dat (friends edition): The First Taste (May 16, 2010)

Blazing blue sky, sun beaming down, slight breeze, people milling all about, Ghetto-Child by the Spinner's playing in my head, the Rodster talking garden stuff. Walking past a stand of neatly stacked greens, our eyes locked. His farmer's hands thrust a package filled to overflowing with tender tendrils of pea shoots towards me. Pea tendril? he offered.

Today was the opening weekend for the SOWA market. Has anyone else been eagerly anticipating the return of the farmer's market? My excitement started building a couple of weeks ago when the Fiddleheads (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiddlehead_fern) appeared in Whole Foods Market. These odd "at-sign"-shaped veggies are only available two weeks out of the year. Nothing says local and now like Fiddleheads. Oh boy! Among all the beautiful handcrafted jewelry (I particularly loved: http://www.etsy.com/shop/LOOKAjewelry) and DIY stuff I found a gorgeous crusty french baguette from When Pigs Fly bakery http://www.sendbread.com/, hydroponic tomatoes and pea tendrils.

I plopped one of the tendrils in my mouth. OMG. Memories of shucking peas with my South Carolina grandmother rushed back through my taste buds. The leaves had the mouth feel of watercress but tasted like lovely sweet peas. I forked over my four dollars and farmer man suggested I lightly saute them in olive oil.

Instead I composed a lusty tomato and bread salad with large chunks of Pecorino Romano on a bed of raw tendrils (next time I will saute them). I served it with a pugnacious 2007 Shiraz that Pam said came from among the "good stuff". You hear that Elizabeth? I’m coming to join you, honey http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5dHXzmV24U I'm still sipping as I write this. Gentle reader, life doesn't get any better, or does it?

I heart summer. I heart farmer's markets. I heart Pamela Waterman and tomato and bread salad. Try this at home:

* 1 tablespoon sherry-wine vinegar
* 1 garlic clove, minced and mashed to a paste with a pinch salt
* 1/4 cup red onions, slivered
* 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* 2 cups 3/4-inch cubes crusty bread
* 1 pound vine-ripened red tomatoes
* 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, washed well, spun dry, and chopped fine (I used flat parsley)
* 1 tablespoon freshly cracked pepper
* 1 teaspoon of smoky sea salt (I found it in St. Helen's Olive Oil Co. in Napa; it tastes like bacon!)

Preparation

In a bowl whisk together vinegar, garlic paste, and pepper to taste and whisk in oil until emulsified. Add remaining ingredients and salt to taste and toss to combine well. Let salad stand at room temperature 15 minutes to allow bread to soak up some dressing.